Happiness Challenge: Decide on Something Big Right Now! (Why Being Indecisive Is Bad for You!)

Are you mulling over a big decision? Have you been going back and forth for a long time? Yes, while being careful and cautious is smart, overthinking things in your life is actually a bad idea. Here's why making a snap decision may be a good move...

I was reading over at Gretchen Rubin's blog (she's the author of the bestselling book, The Happiness Project) about how over-thinking things can actually be a big no-no. She quoted something from Sonja Lyubomirsky's book, The How of Happiness, that stuck out to me:

"Numerous studies over the past two decades have shown that to the contrary, overthinking ushers in a host of adverse consequences: It sustains or worsens sadness, fosters negatively biased thinking, impairs a person's ability to solve problems, saps motivation, and interferes with concentration and initiative. Moreover, although people have a strong sense that they are gaining insight into themselves and their problems during their ruminations, this is rarely the case. What they do gain is a distorted, pessimistic perspective on their lives."

A better idea? Consider a giving a big decision 24 hours--tops. Talk to a few close friends about it. Sleep on it. Then, the next morning, pull the trigger (so to speak). I agree that dragging out a decision for too long leads to more anxiety. And, I find that the quicker I can come to a decision, the better I feel.

Are you prone to over-thinking decisions? What big decision are you mulling right now? Share! I'd love to hear...

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